Prayers for your use. Updated 5/28/23
This is the Ray Of Hope Church statement on the Doctrine of Universal Salvation.
We believe that Salvation is a gift that God has given to the entire human race. Romans Chapter Five explains this Doctrine of Universal Salvation. One's personal salvation is assured by believing in God as per John 5:24. Salvation is best known through the Gospel of Jesus the Christ, and through rebirth by the Holy Spirit. (Ray Of Hope Church Of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Inc. By-Laws September, 2011 Lines 1141 through 1148)
One of the greatest universal prayers is the Gloria. Here it is as we use it with inclusive language.
Glory to
God in the highest,
and peace to God's people on earth.
You are the One God, Sovereign of the universe,
Only Holy God, we worship you,
we give you thanks,
we praise you for your glory.
Lord Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God,
Lord God, Lamb of God,
you take away the sin of the world:
have mercy on us;
you are seated at the right hand of God:
receive our prayer.
For you alone are the Holy One,
you alone are the Lord of all,
you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ,
with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of the
Holy Unity of God. Amen.
The Magnificat, Mary's Canticle Luke 1:46-55
My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,
my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour
God has looked with favor on this lowly servant.
From this day all generations will call me blessed:
The Almighty has done great things for me,
and Holy is God's name.
God has mercy on those how revere God
in every generation.
God has shown the strength of God's arm,
and scattered the proud in their conceit.
Has cast down the mighty from their thrones,
and sent the rich away empty.
God has come to the help of the servant Israel
and remembered the promise of mercy,
the promise God made to our ancestors,
to Abraham and his children forever.
Praise God, the Christ, and the Holy Spirit,
both now and forever. Amen.
Canticle / Song of the Three Young Men in the Fiery Furnace Daniel 3:57-88, 56
Bless the Lord, all you works of the Lord.
Praise and exalt him above all forever.
Angels of the Lord, bless the Lord.
You heavens, bless the Lord.
All you waters above the heavens, bless the Lord.
All you hosts of the Lord, bless the Lord.
Sun and moon, bless the Lord.
Stars of heaven, bless the Lord.
Every shower and dew, bless the Lord.
All you winds, bless the Lord.
Fire and heat, bless the Lord.
Cold and chill, bless the Lord.
Dew and rain, bless the Lord.
Frost and chill, bless the Lord.
Ice and snow, bless the Lord.
Nights and days, bless the Lord.
Light and darkness, bless the Lord.
Lightnings and clouds, bless the Lord.
Let the earth bless the Lord.
Praise and exalt him above all forever.
Mountains and hills, bless the Lord.
Everything growing from the earth, bless the Lord.
You springs, bless the Lord.
Seas and rivers, bless the Lord.
You dolphins and all water creatures, bless the Lord.
All you birds of the air, bless the Lord.
All you beasts, wild and tame, bless the Lord.
You sons of men, bless the Lord.
O Israel, bless the Lord.
Praise and exalt him above all forever.
Priests of the Lord, bless the Lord.
Servants of the Lord, bless the Lord.
Spirits and souls of the just, bless the Lord.
Holy people of humble heart, bless the Lord.
Hananiah, Azariah, Mishael, bless the Lord.
Praise and exalt him above all forever.
Let us bless the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Let us praise and exalt him above all forever.
Blessed are you, Lord, in the firmament of heaven.
Praiseworthy and glorious and exalted above all forever.
Praise God, Praise Christ, and Praise the Holy Spirit,
As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be,
world without end. Amen.
You Are God: Te Deum written in the 4th Century
YOU are
God: we praise you;
You are the Lord; we acclaim you;
You are the eternal One God:
All creation worships you.
To you all angels, all the powers of heaven,
Cherubim and Seraphim, sing in endless praise:
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
The glorious company of apostles praise you.
The noble fellowship of prophets praise you.
The white-robed army of martyrs praise you.
Throughout the world the holy Church acclaims you;
Eternal God, of majesty unbounded,
your true and only Son, worthy of all worship,
and the Holy Spirit, advocate and guide.
You, Christ, are the king of glory,
the eternal Son of the One God.
When you became man to set us free
you did not shun the Virgin's womb.
You overcame the sting of death
and opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers.
You are seated at God's right hand in glory.
We believe that you will come and be our judge.
Come then, Lord, and help your people,
bought with the price of your own blood,
and bring us with your saints
to glory everlasting.
V. Save
your people, Lord, and bless your inheritance.
R. Govern
and uphold them now and always.
V. Day by day we bless you.
R. We
praise your name for ever.
V. Keep us today, Lord, from all sin.
R. Have
mercy on us, Lord, have mercy.
V. Lord, show us your love and mercy,
R. For
we have put our trust in you.
V. In you, Lord, is our hope:
R. Let
us never be put to shame.
Prayer of Saint Patrick (389 to 461 AD)
May the strength of God pilot us.
May the power of God preserve us.
May the wisdom of God instruct us.
May the hand of God protect us.
May they way of God direct us.
May the shield of God defend us.
May the host of God guard us.
- Against the snares of the evil ones.
- Against temptations of the world.
May Christ be with us!
May Christ be before us!
May Christ be in us,
Christ be over all!
May your salvation, Lord,
Always be ours,
This day, O Lord and evermore.
Prayers for salvation of all people to be made holy and live forever.
O my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of hell, lead all souls to Heaven, especially those who have the most need of your mercy. Amen (Fatima prayer)
A prayer for universal salvation one can pray anytime, and especially just before receiving Holy Communion.
Lord Jesus Christ, with faith in your love and your mercy we partake of your Body and Blood as you command. May this not bring us condemnation, as Scripture warns, but bring us health in mind, body, soul and spirit. And we pray, O God, that all people everywhere will be reassembled without the loss of anyone in your Eternal Kingdom of love and glory. We ask this through Christ, Our Lord. Amen (Br. Benedict)
The following is a Prayer for our Congregation we started praying on Pentecost Sunday in 2016. You may adapt this prayer for your needs by changing the words where you see (**). Change the text there to fit your circumstance. Some suggestions include relationship family school marriage organization, and any other special circumstance that is open to an invocation of the Holy Spirit such as this one.
Lord Jesus Christ, we ask that your Holy Spirit continue to move in our (**) congregation in new and refreshing ways. We open our hearts to be a dwelling place, a home, a temple of your Holy Spirit. Empower us with the gifts of the Holy Spirit to be used as servants of God, disciples of Christ, and witnesses of God's love and God's eternal plan. Come, Holy Spirit, and impassion us with your Divine Love. Stir and enkindle within us the flames of compassion, forgiveness, patience, empathy, Joy in believing, thanksgiving and praise, and love for God's holy Will. Build an expectant faith within us with a view of a (**)church full of possibilities and potential. Guide our lives; we pray through Christ our Lord, Amen. (5-17,19-16, Revised 5-28-2023 / Pentecost Br. Benedict)
The following is a well known traditional prayer asking for the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful, and enkindle in them the fire of your divine Love. Send forth your Spirit, and they shall be created, and you shall renew the face of the earth.
O God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit, did instruct the hearts of your faithful, grant that by that same Holy Spirit, we may be truly wise, and ever rejoice in the Spirit's consolation, through Christ our Lord, Amen
Here is a traditional and well known prayer you can pray when you want to receive Holy Communion but are not able to physically received the actual bread and wine.
An Act of Spiritual Communion
Oh My Jesus, I believe that you are truly present in the Blessed Sacrament. I love you above all things, and I long for you in my soul. Since I cannot now receive you sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. As though you have already come, I embrace you and unite myself entirely to you; never permit me to be separated from you. Jesus, I place all my trust in you. Amen.
Spiritual Communion Prayer from the Episcopal National Cathedral Prayer Book
Oh My Jesus, I believe that you are truly present in the Blessed Sacrament of the Altar. I love you above all things, and I welcome you in my soul. Since I cannot now receive you in the Sacrament of your Body and Blood, come spiritually into my heart. Cleanse and strengthen me with your grace, Lord Jesus, and let me never be separated from you. May I live in you, and you in me, in this life and in the life to come. Amen.
Scripture Verses on Joy and Encouragement
Updated 3/30/20
Phillipians 4:4-7
Verse 4 in Latin: Gaudete in Domino semper: iterum dico, gaudete.
Verse 4 in English: Rejoice in The Lord always; again I say it, rejoice.
4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice. 5 Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. 6 Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
1 Thess. 5:16 Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in all circumstances for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
John 15:10-12 (NRSV) 10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. 11 I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete. 12 "This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you."
John 16:24 (NRSV)24 Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.
Luke 6:22-23 22 "Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you on account of the Son of Man. 23 Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven; for that is what their ancestors did to the prophets."
Romans 15:13 13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
1Peter 1:8-10 8 Although you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy, 9 for you are receiving the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
Galatians 5:22-25 2 By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against such things.
Ray Of Hope
Church Of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Inc.
is the original Church in Central New York for
ALL People, including but not limited to
persons who are or might be:
Straight, Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual,
Transgender,
Questioning,
Intersex, Queer,
Asexual, Pansexual, Heteroflexible.
Anyone who is human!
Married, divorced, remarried, single,
and persons of all gender expressions.
Persons of any faith / religion or
no faith, no religion, or have no idea where to start with religion.
A spiritual home for those who are "spiritual but not religious."
WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO TELL Y OU IS WE ARE
the Church by us, for us, 4 U!
The Church made by you because
we ARE you!
Ray Of Hope Church was founded in 1983
and is serving Syracuse, Ithaca and Elmira New York.
We are in fact serving the world with live interactive worship services,
Bible enrichment sessions, and meetings
through SKYPE on the Internet.
WE ARE YOU!
We never held a vote to decide if we would be an INCLUSIVE church for you.
WE ARE YOU!
We are not an OPEN AND AFFIRMING church for you.
WE ARE YOU!
We are not a RECONCILING CHURCH or
RECONCILING CONGREGATION for you.
WE ARE YOU!
We are not an OPEN MINDED or ACCEPTING or WELCOMING
church where you can attend as long as you blend in quietly and discretely.
WE ARE YOU!
THIS is the church where YOU belong.
Ray Of Hope Church is the church
by us, for us, and made by You.